Stereo Project
 

Hey guys, this is actually my first post here. Sorry to make it so long. I've been lurking about for a few months (since I got my 2000 X5 in early June). Anyhow, I finally got around to doing a total stereo revamp. I'm still in the process of getting it all installed, but it's finally ALL arrived from the various E-bay sites where I got most of it.

List of stuff:

Eclipse AVN-7000 head unit
JL XR series component speakers (front)
JL XR series coaxial component speakers (rear)
Alpine 4.100 amp
JL 8" W7 sub
JL 250/1 amp

The deck and speakers are installed already, I got my high end amp in the mail yesterday so I'll be getting that in this weekend.

The major part of the project though is the fiberglass box I'm building in the space on the driver's side where my CD changer and factory amp used to be (speaking of which, I have my factory head unit, amp, cd changer, and speakers for sale if anyone is interested.) This is my first experience with fiberglass, but I think all in all, it's going pretty well. I'm hoping to finish the box tomorrow, and get all my amps installed saturday... but with the way this fiberglass has gone so far, it'll probably take twice as long as I think it should. I've taken pictures throughout the process of building the box so when I finish, i'll post those up.

Do you guys have any recommendations as far as where to mount the amps? under the rear seat maybe? I'm going for the stealth look, and I'd like to keep my storage compartment on the passenger's side if possible. Could there be room next to the spare tire if I removed the plastic pieces supporting the floor of the trunk on the driver's side?

Thanks for any input! I know people are going to want to see pictures... I'll get to that once it's done and there's a final product.

bump!

Here's some picture's of the progress...

Before:
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j9...0/P8160961.jpg

first layers:
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j9...0/P8160955.jpg

if you're as sloppy as me, make sure to put down plastic EVERYWHERE.
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j9...0/P8160958.jpg

don't forget your respirator!
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j9...0/P8160957.jpg

after a few layers:
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j9...0/P8160959.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j9...0/P8180964.jpg

Starting to take shape here:
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j9...0/P8230967.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j9...0/P8230968.jpg

I've now got the box finished, and the amps installed, I basically just need to connect everything and put some carpet on the box. I'll post more pictures of the final product.

Looks like fun... (and will smell great for a few weeks in there ;)

Good luck.

One question:

I had my headunit installed by a car stereo shop in the middle of a 4600 mile road trip because... well because I was in the middle of a road trip and had no tools.

Anyhow, they bypassed the factory amp for me, so now I've got a bundle of wires tied together at the factory amp location, and I'm not sure which is which. I've tried looking at the radio module and amp wiring diagram post, but i'm still confused.

I have white/brown and white/black wires, and I'm not sure what they go to. I cut one connection, to see if I could just figure it out myself, but it seems complicated. Anyhow, I basically just need to know the colors wires feed each speaker, so I can wire up the 4 channels of my amp.

very nice install......please buy a E70 so you could give me ideas

Vandal -

Check the Articles.
I'm pretty positive the wiring is there somewhere.

Post some pics of your HU. I'm curious how your DIY turned out !
Good luck.

I didn't originally do the head unit myself (it got done on the road trip or whatever) but I'll post some pics of it when I can. The installation is nothing special, just a standard single DIN dash kit, but ot actually fits in real slick. It BARELY fits with the display out, but I like the angle the screen ended up at... no headrest monitors yet, so i think the angle is better for the back seat, and might have less glare than the double DIN unit too.

I'm having a heck of a time finding a wiring diagram that makes any sense with what I'm looking at. Looks like the post on the homepage is for 2002 and newer. Any links would be greatly appreciated

Have not looked at the wiring diag myself but if I recall, it was relatively accurate.

I'll try to grab a pic of my HU trim......I was really pleased on the outcome !

Read the 2nd half of this article, for 2000-2001

http://www.xoutpost.com/articles/x5/s...formation.html

So since I never had the factory navigation, I have to use the bottom of the charts where it talks about the X5 hi-fi amplifier(non-dsp) and all the german colors?

You're not using the aftermarket amp with your stock speakers based on your 1st post .....impedance will be off anyhow.

In that case, if the article ain't clear and you are popping in new component speakers, why not just look at which color is at which door location...

Unless I'm looking at this at the wrong angle.

no, aftermarket amp and aftermarket speakers... 6.5" JL XR series components with an Alpine 4.100 amp... so no imedance worries.

What I SHOULD have done was write down the colors when I had the doors pulled apart... but that was the first thing I did, and wasn't thinking ahead at that point.

I'm going to use a AA battery as a speaker popper tonight, which if it works like its supposed to, should basically solve my problems.

That will work. But since you are putting in all new components wouldn't you rather just run new, quality speaker wire instead of using the OEM wiring (not that anything is technically wrong with OEM)? If you put the x-overs up front you would only need to run 4 pairs.

Can you post a pictutre of back of encloseure? Also why is the top of the box cut out semi circle? Why is the lower part of the box extended so far? Have you calculated total airspace?

Excellent questions. I'll post more pictures when I get home from work.

The semi circle at the top of the box is because I originally intended to use the stock cover thing, but it turned out to get enough airspace I had to make the box extend out too far for that. I was going to change the shape once I decided to change how I was going to do it, but I'd already put so much time in I said F#%kit.

Same reason basically for extending out the bottom part. The magnet on that W7 is massive, so to get enough airspace with the sub mounted in there I had to use as much below the deck of the trunk as I could.

Recommended airspace with a sealed box is 0.875 cu ft, so I was shooting for 1.0 cu ft just to be safe. I couldn't quite get a cubic foot of packing peanuts in it though once I was done, so I'm slightly under 1.0, but I think still above 0.875.

I've actually got everything all hooked up now... sounds fantastic in my opinion. Got some slight rattles around the box that I will fix with some dynamat tonight, and still need to carpet the box and tie up some loose ends but it's all coming together quite nicely now.

I've got some annoying engine whine that I think can be attributed to my RCAs and power being run right next to each other for a couple feet, but if separating those doesn't fix that, I might need some advice on where that noise might be coming from.

Other than that, its sounding great... the perfect amount of bass. Not enough to blow your head off, but enough to definitely fill the car. I'm really impressed with how much better those JL components sound amplified. I'm just so stoked about this right now.... all my hours and hours of hard work paying off. I'll definitely post pics of the final product

Congrats. I have had great luck with JL components too in other cars. Looking forward to more pics. :thumbup:

ps. there are some pics of the JL box in http://www.xoutpost.com/bsws-mobile-e...ght=stealthbox where you can compare the size and shape to your box to a pre-built box.

I assume the JL W7 is a 10 inch sub. Can you add polyfill? I can't wait to see more pics of the fiberglass box, you give me new fiberglassing motivATION. I was being lazy and really considering buying either a BSW, JL stealth. If i did this project I was thinking the back would be more like this. I think you extended more into the spare tire location.

It's only an 8, but its plenty loud for me. In my opinion, it would be difficult to get enough airspace for a W7 ten without extending futher towards the front of the car, or spare tire location... but I'm sure it COULD be done.

Mine's pretty similar to that one, might go a bit more into the spare tire location, but not much.

Why would I want to add polyfill though? I think I'm right about at the manufacturer's recommended size.

Pictures... still need to tie down some of my wires and whatnot to make it look all neat inside, but it's essentially done.

Amp location:

you can barely see the high end amp hidden down in the bottom of the compartment. It's mounted to a piece of MDF mounted to the plastic piece under the floor of the trunk.

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j9...0/P8280975.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j9...0/P8280973.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j9...0/P8280971.jpg

Someone asked for a pic of the HU. The installation is nothing special, but I'm loving the deck

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j9...0/P8280976.jpg

Nice clean install, congrats.

One problem... I got in my car this morning and the battery was dead. Not sure what drained it. No lights on or anything that I would tell.

Then once I jumped it my temp guage read -32 deg and it said I was out of gas when the tank was full. As I drove to work, both the temperature, and my gas guage went up. So by the time I got to work I had like 50 miles to empty and it was 40 degrees out.

Any ideas? Did I screw something up or did something just go out on the exact day that I finished my stereo project?

I'd trickle charge the battery if I were you. All kinds of weird computer beahvior happens when the battery is low in an X5. With the doors/hatch open, amp testing, etc., during your long install, it is weak and needs a full charge.

Good thought... don't own a trickle charger though... do I need to go get one... can I just leave my car running for a long time?

On that note, what do i need to do to prevent my battery from dying so quickly when the car is off with the stereo running? I'd like to be able to use it for music when I'm camping and whatnot for more than 15 minutes

Maybe add a capacitor or second battery? Has anyone done this with good results?

I suggest the 'smart' Battery Tender Plus from Deltran. It is the one that BMW sells for twice the price at the dealer parts counter. This is much better than running down tanks of gas while you depend on the alternator to charge the battery. It isn't the same as a slow charger. http://www.amazon.com/BatteryTender-...8423900&sr=8-2

Many of us here use this charger and it has been extremely reliable over time.

For the other question, look into an Optima battery or two. http://www.optimabatteries.com/publi...eep_cycle.html

Why not use the OEM cargo cover?

The original idea was to use the OEM cargo cover, but it was going to take some semi-major modifications to get it to fit. I decided to just make one of my own, and in retrospect I'm really glad I did. It was really easy to make, and it fits like a glove.

In regards to my battery issues, I'd like to replace the battery with the Optima mentioned. If I pick up an optima battery today, will it fit into the factory location, or will I need to provide some sort of additional mounting? Anyone done this and have pictures of it? I'm headed on a road trip tomorrow and I need to get this battery situation resolved so I don't have too jump it everytime I need to start it on the trip.

I guess if all else fails I'll just buy an optima battery now, use it to jumpstart the car for the trip, and then get it all installed when I get back.

They wouldn't have that Battery Tender Plus at a local autoparts store would they? The only place I can get the equivalent of that ASAP would be at the BMW stealership and I'd have to pay double the price, correct?

According to batterytender.com, they sell them at PepBoys, Batteries Plus, and Interstate Battery stores.

You can buy Optima yellow's in lots of local stores. Taking it on the trip would give you that jump start safety net until you had time to install it (which really only takes 10 minutes). It is smaller than OEM but requires no modifications.

Excellent.... we have Batteries Plus right near here... I'll hit that up on lunch break and see if they've got the Battery Tender Plus

So the Optima Yellow is not going to slide around in the factory location?

P.S. To NCX and everyone else, thanks for all the advice .... you've been extremely helpful

You're welcome! You can use the factory hold-down, plus you can put a shim under the metal retaining arm to secure the other end of the battery. See this post for a visual aid: http://www.xoutpost.com/102933-post6.html

Have a great trip.

So I was reading up a bit, and one poster indicates that the Optima Red would be better suited than the Optima Yellow... is this true? From the manufacturer's website it would seem that the Yellow would be adequate. Is the red actually better? Or just suited for different applications?

They are just for different applications really. In my opinion, the red top is a great battery for dependable every day high CCA starting duties. It is strong and would be better than OEM for dealing with current draw from running your stereo wothout the engine running. It is great for an average X5 owner. The yellow top is more suited for heavy duty current draw and many cycles of deep discharging/charging, it has loads of reserve time. It is also great for dual or triple battery setups for guys that have gigantic AV systems. So yellow would play longer at a camp site before it discharged. The blue tops are sort of a combination of the red and yellow so I have heard, i.e. they have the long reserve of yellow deep cycle bat's and maintain higher CCA like red top's. I think you would be fine with yellow or red. Yellow is what you see in most big audio setup's if that matters.

In summary (a quote I found in google)
Red-starting batteries, hich cca, lower reserve minute.

Yellow-popular "car audio" battery, longer reserve minutes, little less cca.

Blue-longer resrve minute(comparable to yellow top) and higher CCA (compared to red tops), best of both worlds.

Got myself and Optima Red yesterday... haven't had any further problems thus far.

Red - 36 month warranty
Yellow - 12 month warranty

Red - $180
Yellow - $210

I decided to go with the red just for the fact that it's cheaper and has a longer warranty. The yellow might have been slightly better suited for what I'm looking to do, but the warranty thing got me... just can't bring myself to pay more for something that's not as reliable.

I still have an engine noise problem though... guess I'll just have to drown it out with the stereo all the way to seattle today. I'll probably stop at a local place here and pick up an RCA filter to see if that will dampen it some, and maybe do some re-routing of my RCA's when I get back.

Good. Optima Red is a super reliable battery.

Smooth trip... :thumbup:

Vandal -

U can try a couple different things on getting rid of the noise...
Float the ground on the RCA
Ground the shield on the HU

I'm a little late to this post but I fitted a Odysset 1700MJT as a replacement in mine.

Vandal I had my Diamond amps stuffed between the spare wheel and the rear floor deck. A second floor was built to sit on the spare and the amps were secured to this "new" floor which I can lift if I need to get to the spare.

Alright, well I thought my optima red had solved all my problems. Road trip went without a hitch. Been driving to work every day this week. Then this morning I get up and my battery's dead again. No lights on, no doors open.

Without buying an expensive DC amp probe, and ideas how to diagnose where this is coming from?

Maybe my final stage resistor just happened to go bad at the same time I did my install? The fan on the AC also periodically ramps up and down without me changing anything, but that's been happening for a couple months with no battery problems until now

IMO, change the FSR. That symptom is a dead giveaway and was also the cause of my own battery drain problem. Cheap and easy fix. PM Morristown BMW and they will get the part right out to you at a very good price, or visit your local deal if you must have it today.